Comments on: What if 5.3 Million More Americans Could Vote? http://rinf.com/alt-news/surveillance-big-brother/what-if-53-million-more-americans-could-vote/3029/ Breaking News, Alternative News & Media Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:13:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: ACTIVENWFL http://rinf.com/alt-news/surveillance-big-brother/what-if-53-million-more-americans-could-vote/3029/comment-page-1/#comment-32091 ACTIVENWFL Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:57:27 +0000 http://rinf.com/alt-news/surveillance-big-brother/what-if-53-million-more-americans-could-vote/3029/#comment-32091 Florida still has a long way to go before disenfranchisment of ex-offenders has been fairly handled. The recent changes allow the wealthiest of ex-offenders to regain their right to vote after all fines and court costs have been paid. It may seem as though it is insignificant but if you look at the numbers AND think, you would be surprised. Florida requires arrest for technical violations of probation/parole. A technical violation occurs when no new crime has been committed but the cost of supervision, fines and court costs have not been paid. Many of these Floridians lose their jobs that were inadequate to pay the fines because they are in jail for not being able to pay their fines?!? It seems to me that the "Jim Crow" connection has changed from slavery based on race to slavery based on economic standing. Why do we always send the poor?!? Florida still has a long way to go before disenfranchisment of ex-offenders has been fairly handled.

The recent changes allow the wealthiest of ex-offenders to regain their right to vote after all fines and court costs have been paid. It may seem as though it is insignificant but if you look at the numbers AND think, you would be surprised.

Florida requires arrest for technical violations of probation/parole. A technical violation occurs when no new crime has been committed but the cost of supervision, fines and court costs have not been paid. Many of these Floridians lose their jobs that were inadequate to pay the fines because they are in jail for not being able to pay their fines?!?

It seems to me that the “Jim Crow” connection has changed from slavery based on race to slavery based on economic standing. Why do we always send the poor?!?

]]> By: invisible blog » Blog Archive » The Grapevine: Links to news that matters to you http://rinf.com/alt-news/surveillance-big-brother/what-if-53-million-more-americans-could-vote/3029/comment-page-1/#comment-31446 invisible blog » Blog Archive » The Grapevine: Links to news that matters to you Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:08:47 +0000 http://rinf.com/alt-news/surveillance-big-brother/what-if-53-million-more-americans-could-vote/3029/#comment-31446 [...] AlterNet asks: what if the severe restrictions on felons’ voting rights were reviewed? The piece examines the history of the restrictions and their links to Jim Crow legislation, and points out that “entire communities lose their political capital when their citizens cannot vote. Denying the vote to one person has a ripple effect, dramatically decreasing the political power of urban and minority communities. [...] [...] AlterNet asks: what if the severe restrictions on felons’ voting rights were reviewed? The piece examines the history of the restrictions and their links to Jim Crow legislation, and points out that “entire communities lose their political capital when their citizens cannot vote. Denying the vote to one person has a ripple effect, dramatically decreasing the political power of urban and minority communities. [...]

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